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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O. 882

48

It should also be borne in mind that the population is of the most migratory char- acter, the number of emigrants from Singapore, Penang, and Province Wellesley in 1896 being 225,877, the great bulk, of course, being Chinese.

31. The Association would point out that the proof is overwhelming that the repeal of the C. D. O. has been followed by results even more alarming than the op- ponents of that repeal contemplated. The condition of the unfortunate women is most pitiable the disease steadily increases in virulence, taking year by year a wider and wider circle. How large a circle we have no means of knowing, but when it is remem- bered that Singapore is not merely a naval and military station, but is the calling port of nearly every steamer which visits the Far East, and that it is the centre of a great trade of its own with the Eastern Archipelago generally and surrounding countries, it will be apparent that its means of disseminating disease are of the most exceptional char- acter, without taking into account the fact that the Straits Settlements return to China each year a great number of Coolies, most of whom are unmarried, and many of whom are diseased.

32. The Association is not disposed to undervalue the effect of moral influences in opposing the progress of vicious habits, and frankly recognises the honourable motives of those who are opposed to all forms of compulsory legislation, but it would respectfully and earnestly urge that the enormous disproportion of the sexes, the migratory character of the population, and the general conditions of life in the Straits Settlements are so exceptional as to demand exceptional legislation. "It is in every respect futile and not in accordance with a wise and sensible administration to look at this question from the standpoint of Western ideas and principles."-(Governor of Straits Settlements to Secretary of State, 30th December, 1887*).

"

33. The Association believes that it is of the utmost importance and necessity that the Contagious Diseases Ordinance should be placed upon the Statute Book in its entirety and without delay.

34. The Association begs respectfully to lay these facts and opinions before the Secretary of State, praying him to take them into his consideration, and to apply such remedy as the urgency and gravity of the case demand.

17234.

I have, &c.,

WM. ADAMSON, Chairman, Straits Settlements Association.

No. 20.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. B. H. MITCHELL (STRAITS SETTLEMENTS) and the OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG.

49

3. I am, however, of opinion that some further endeavour should be made to check

the Straits Settlements

by introducing a scheme on the the spread of these diseases in

Hong Kong lines of the Regulations recently adopted in India, modified as far as may be necessary to suit the circumstances of the Colony. I enclose a copy of the Parliamentary paper [C-8401] containing Lord George Hamilton's despatch to the Government of India, dated 18th May last, in which he suggested that venereal disease should be treated, in cantonments in India, similarly to other contagious and infectious diseases, together with copy of the Parliamentary paper [C-8538] containing the Regulations adopted by the Indian Government for that purpose.

•

4. I request you to consider in what way the principle of these Regulations can the Straits Settlements and to submit for my best be adapted to the circumstances of

Hong Kong approval the draft of any Ordinance required for the purpose, before introducing it into the Legislative Council. For my own part, see no reason why a man or woman who is a source of disease to others, and who will not take measures to be cured, should not be banished from the Colony.

5. It would be desirable for the Colonial Government to engage one or more women doctors, to assist in the treatment of women afflicted with these special diseases, as well as of those admitted to the Government Hospitals for other diseases, in the hope of gradually overcoming the reluctance, common among Asiatic women of all classes, to take advantage of hospital treatment. The experiment has already been tried in Ceylon of appointing a woman doctor to look after the Women's Hospitals, and the late Principal Civil Medical Officer in his last annual Report, says: "The Lock Hospital at Colombo is in charge of the lady doctor, and I believe she will be the means of inducing more of these unfortunate women to voluntarily avail themselves of the treatment so liberally provided for them by Government." I request you to favour me with your views on this suggestion.

6. I have stated above that I am not prepared to sanction the registration of brothels, but I consider that steps should be taken to check the increase in the number of those places, which appears to have occurred at Hong Kong (I am not aware whether [To Straits

a similar increase has arisen in the Straits Settlements), since the former registration only.] system was abolished, and I shall be glad if you will advise me what course short of the old system of registration is likely to prove the most effective check on brothel slavery. I do not think that the Law should provide for prescribing certain districts within which brothels shall or shall not be allowed, but I am of opinion that power should be given-which will apparently require fresh legislation--for the head of the police to take proceedings for the closing of any brothel, and not merely one which is used" to the annoyance of the respectable inhabitants of the vicinity," and that it should be left to the discretion of the Government to decide where and how this power should be exercised.

I have, &c.,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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| PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

[Answered by Nos. 24 and 27.]

(Straits No. 35.)

(Hong Kong No. 45.)

SIR,

Downing Street, February 18, 1898. [WITH reference to the 14th paragraph of your despatch No. 295 of 1st Sep- tember lastṭ] I have the honour to transmit to you copy of a letter from the [To Straits Straits Settlements Association, drawing my attention to the increase of venereal

only.]

Chinaş

the Straits Settlements

discase in

and suggesting the re-enactment of the Contagious Hong Kong Diseases Ordinances, which were formerly in force in the Colony.

2. I have given most careful consideration to this question, but I do not consider it to be proved that the system of Contagious Diseases Acts was really effectual for its purpose. Moreover, it was undoubtedly capable of great abuse, and it was, and con- tinues to be, objected to by a large body of public opinion in this country. For these reasons I am not prepared to sanction the reintroduction of any system involving either the compulsory and periodical examination of women, or the registration of brothels or of prostitutes.

• Page 7 of [H.C, 59] March, 1889.

† No. 18.

* No. 19.

Nos. 14 and 17.

13467.

(26066/2023.)

SIR,

CEYLON.

No. 21.

WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received June 15, 1898.)

[Answered by No. 22.]

War Office, Pall Mall, S.W., June 13, 1898.

WITH reference to the letter from this Office of 30th April,* No. 26066/2021, on the subject of the steps to be taken for dealing with venereal disease at Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to inform you that the General Officer Commanding the Troops, Ceylon, having requested some instructions in the matter, a letter has been sent to him of which a copy is enclosed.

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :→→→

C.O. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Lord Lansdowne would be glad if Mr. Secretary Chamberlain would cause the Governor of Ceylon to be informed accordingly, in order that he may co-operate with the General Officer Commanding.

&c.,

(26066/2023.)

SIR,

I am,

Enclosure in No. 21.

G. FLEETWOOD WILSON.

War Office, London, S.W., June 13, 1898. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th March, 5227/4, on the subject of venereal disease in Ceylon.

With reference thereto I am to inform you that correspondence has already taken place with the Colonial Office as to measures to be adopted at Hong Kong and Singa pore, and in these places it is hoped that Ordinances on the lines of the new cantonment rules in India will ultimately be enacted.

The essential feature of these rules is that under them venereal diseases are restored to the category of infectious and contagious disorders, sufferers from which may be removed from cantonments if they refuse to submit to medical treatment.

The India Office had suggested the expediency of (i) medical inspection of troops, (ii) enforcement of punishment for concealment of disease, and (iii) stoppages of pay while in hospital for venereal disease.

With regard to the first suggestion, Lord Lansdowne deprecated any periodical inspections, and considered that the requirements of the case were met by the suitable application to soldiers of the rule that " Any person living in a cantonment can be re- quired by the medical officer to attend for examination at a hospital, and not to quit it without permission."

The second suggestion is already provided for in the Queen's Regulations, and the third proposal was not concurred in, on the ground that it would fail as a deterrent, aud would set a premium on concealment of disease in its early stages.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies is not prepared to sanction the reintroduc- tion of any system involving the compulsory and periodical examination of women, or the registration of brothels or of prostitutes; consequently rules 2 and 3 proposed in your letter could not be sanctioned as they stand.

It would seem desirable that you should, in conjunction with the Governor of Ceylon, proceed to draw up a draft Ordinance dealing with this subject, based upon the Regulations recently adopted in India, and modified as far as may be necessary to suit the circumstances of the Colony.

This Ordinance should then be submitted to the Secretary of State for the Colonies before it is brought before the Ceylon Government.

I

am to observe that under the new regulations as to hospital stoppages, men will pay only half rates when their illness is due directly to military service."

I am, &c.,

The General Officer Commanding in Ceylon.

EVELYN WOOD.

51

2. In reply I am to point out that having regard to the size of the Colony, there would be greater difficulty in legislation in Ceylon on the lines of the new Cantonment Rules in India than in Hong Kong or the Straits Settlements, and that such legislation would have to be confined in its operation to the towns in which troops are stationed.

3. Mr. Chamberlain has not received any communication from the Governor on the subject, and has not hitherto contemplated the adoption of any special legislation for dealing with these diseases in Ceylon, because the returns presented to Parliament as to the health of the Army-viz., [H.C. 509-1894] and similar subsequent returns show that since the date of the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Ordinance in Ceylon, the average amount of disease has not increased among the troops stationed in that Colony.

4. Mr. Chamberlain will, however, forward a copy of this correspondence to the Governor of Ceylon for his consideration and report.

13467.

SIB,

CEYLON.

No. 23.

I am,

&c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR J. WEST RIDGEWAY.

(No. 179.)

[Answered by No. 28.]

Downing Street, June 17, 1898. I HAVE the honour to forward, for your consideration and report, copies of corre- spondence* with the War Office, relative to the question of taking special measures for checking the spread of venereal disease in the Colony.

2. I also enclose a copy of a despatch† recently addressed to the Governor of Hong Kong on this question, together with copies of two Parliamentary Papers, re- ferred to in that despatch, which show what action has been taken in India. I have to add that the Cantonment Rules actually issued in India differ from the Draft Rules which are given on pp. 5-8 [C.---8538] by the omission of paras. 2 and 15 (1).

3. You will observe that I have suggested to the Governor of Hong Kong--and a similar suggestion has been made to the Governor of the Straits Settlements-that he should prepare a draft scheme based on the Indian Cantonment Regulations, modified, so far as may be necessary, to suit the circumstances of the Colony. But as at present advised, I am not aware that any necessity exists for such exceptional legislation on this subject in the case of Ceylon, seeing that the Army official returns show that, since the date of the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Ordinance, the average amount of disease among the troops stationed in the island has not increased,

I have, &c.,

19844.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

No. 24.

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

13467.

CEYLON.

No. 22.

COLONIAL OFFICE to WAR OFFICE.

your

SIR,

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of

Downing Street, June 17, 1898. letter (26066/2023) of the 13th instant,* forwarding copy of a letter which the Marquess of Lansdowne has addressed to the General Officer Commanding in Ceylon, as to the question of taking special steps for dealing with venereal disease in that Colony.

• No. 21.

ACTING GOVERNOR SIR J. A. SWETTENHAM to MR. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received September 1, 1898.)

(No. 227.)

SIR,

[Answered by No. 28.]

Government House, Singapore, August 5, 1898. REFERRING to your despatch, No. 35, of the 18th February last,f on the subject of the prevalence of venereal disease in this Colony, I have the honour to inform you that Sir Charles Mitchell appointed a committee, consisting of the following gentlemen :- Brigade Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel Stokes, Army Medical Department, Chairman; Dr. Simon, Principal Civil Medical Officer; Mr. A. Gentle, President of the Singapore

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• Now, 21 and 22.

† No. 20.

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